It’s been over a year since we saw the witches of Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem. The Season 2 premiere reveals Abigail and Raelle’s new power, the introduction of a new witch, and a grateful Alder giving Tally an offer she can’t refuse. Written by series creator Eliot Laurence and directed by Amanda Tapping, here’s a recap of the premiere episode, “Of the Blood.”
Monster-in-Law | Raelle’s mother Willa (Diana Pavlovská) is confronted by Scylla (Amalia Holm) and is questioned as to why she was never told that Raelle was her daughter. (Side Note: Raylla fans on social media lovingly refer to Willa as Scylla’s mother-in-law) Scylla feels betrayed that she wasn’t given this information, and that an agent was sent to choke her out. She also blames the Spree for the attack at the wedding when she failed to deliver Raelle. It’s an accusation that Willa denies. “The attack on the Bellweather wedding had nothing to do with the Spree,” Willa tells her. “There is something else.”
Willa allows Scylla into her mind to show her a memory of a private party celebration where some of the Spree members honored one of their own for bringing in 61 new agents. The memory shows that aside from Willa, the rest of her group fell victim to a brutal attack. “The ancient enemy has returned,” she tells Scylla. She wants the young witch to join forces with her to hunt them down. “Our mission is not about the army anymore.” When Scyl questions why she would ever join her, Willa explains that the Camarilla wants to end all witches — army and Spree.
Back From the Dead | Despite everyone believing the pair had died in the Altai Mountains, Raelle (Taylor Hickson) and Abigail (Ashley Nicole Williams) are alive and well. They discover they have a new-found power. They were the cause of the giant blast and said blast turned some of the Camarilla into a bunch of wild mushrooms. Abby wants to share the news with General Alder when they return to Fort Salem, but Raelle worries that doing so will wind them up being studied in a lab for the rest of their lives.
If I Could Turn Back Time | General Alder (Lyne Renée) and the Biddies thank Tally (Jessica Sutton) for what she has done. “The sacrifice you’ve made can never be repaid,” she tells her. “I am so grateful.” Alder offers her something very rare — an opportunity to resume her life as it was. “This is my way to serve,” Tally says. Alder wants her to think about it, but warns that the process carries serious risk. Tally learns that Abigail and Raelle are still alive and starts to break down in Alder’s office. “Yes, my answer is yes,” the tearful Tally says to Alder on her offer. “Thank you.”
Tally’s friends return just in time to watch the un-Biddy-ing process take place. It’s a beautiful and magical process, but from the looks of Tally in that chair, it must’ve been painful as hell. The disoriented Tally is reunited with Abigail and Raelle at last. “Are you real?” she asks them before losing consciousness and falling to the ground. She regains consciousness in the nurses ward and tells Abby and Raelle all about what it felt like being a Biddy. She shares that as a Biddy, she could hear some of Alder’s thoughts, and she could hear the Biddies, too. “It was like being in a car with the same people on a road trip that never ends.”
Having a Blast | In Alder’s office, Raelle explains that after she was stabbed by the Camarilla, she had linked with Abby to keep her alive. “I told her to break the link with me or else I would pull her into death,” Raelle added. They cut to the chase and reveal that “the blast was us. We don’t know how, but this force protects us when we’re threatened. While we don’t understand this work yet, we will master it.” Alder orders that they train to wield their new gift.
Connection | Tally is starting to feel the side effects of the Biddy link she had with Alder. It’s only been a day and Tally’s missed her so, so much. “This will pass,” Alder tells her. She goes on to say that what she’s been through is very destabilizing. She may even feel like she’s lost a child or a mother. She says the bond they shared will endure forever in some small way.
Singing Down the House | A new witch is brought in to meet General Alder. The young witch, Penelope (Mellany Barros), was brought in by her father after he had witnessed the stained glass windows of their church begin to melt as she sang a song during service. Alder makes Penelope go through a series of tests to see how powerful she is. When the Vocal test exceeds Alders expectations, she is thrilled. “This young woman is of the blood,” she announces. She tells the girl that her call to service will be coming at any moment.
Undercover | Scylla and Willa go undercover to the site of a Spree attack from six years prior. They head there to find out why there is a large group of people gathering at that location. They find a speaker who is upset that more and more people are affected by the violence of the Spree and the lack of action by the army. “Still our army does nothing,” he says to the crowd. “Maybe they don’t want to defeat the Spree,” he continues. “Maybe they can’t be trusted to fight against their own.” When Willa says they must find patient zero, Scylla says she’s all in.
Proud Family | Anacostia interrupts Tally, Abigail, and Raelle from their conversation and asks for their medals. With her finger, she swipes across them and hands them back. Thinking they’re in some kind of trouble, they look at their medals to find that it has now changed to show that they are going to war college! “Congratulations,” she tells them. “You’ve changed. You’ve all grown so much and I’m very proud of you. No cadets deserve this more.”
Dreams and Nightmares | The link between Alder and Tally continues as Tally starts dreaming in Alder’s memories. In the dream, Tally fights along a younger Alder and other cadets as they battle the Camarilla. Giant centipedes crawl out of the ground and start to climb up onto her. Tally wakes up from her nightmare screaming. Abigail and Raelle try to comfort her by saying it was all a dream. But as Tally lifts her shirt, a giant centipede bite can be seen on her abdomen.
What are your thoughts on the Season 2 premiere? Let us know in the comments below!
Motherland: Fort Salem airs Tuesdays at 10pm on Freeform.
